The Comrades Marathon Association has released its medical statistics for race day on Sunday, 4 June 2017.

The 47th Comrades Marathon Up-Run saw 17031 athletes starting the 86.73km ultra-marathon, with 13852 finishing within the 12 hour cut-off time at the Scottsville Racecourse.

Comrades Doctor, Jeremy Boulter has confirmed that about 400 runners were treated at the Comrades Medical Tent. “We treated about 2.6% of the field which is just slightly above average, considering that it was quite a hot day.” said Boulter.

Boulter mentioned that a few runners had had chest pains but it was nothing out of the ordinary. He adds, “It was a normal day of controlled chaos. We are happy to confirm that all runners are doing okay.”

Netcare’s St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg treated 80 runners, of which 40 were admitted. However, by lunch time on Tuesday, all but three had been discharged. The majority of athletes were treated mainly for dehydration, apart from a few other minor issues; and were discharged.

Netcare’s St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban treated 10 runners mainly for dehydration and they have also since been discharged.

Boulter concludes, ‘We would like to thank our doctors, physios, paramedics and all other medical staff and volunteers who assisted our runners on race day. We are very grateful to you all for a job well done under trying circumstances.’

The Comrades Marathon Medical Facility is known for the world’s largest temporary medical facility outside of a conflict zone.

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